Animal trap



yJune 9, 1925.

W. '5. GREGORY ANIMAL TRAP Original Filed Oct. 31, 1921 Patented June 9,1925.

UNITED STATES 1,541,639 PAT-ENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM s. GREGORY, or CINCINNATI, omo.

ANIMAL TRAP.

Application vfiled October 31, 1921, Serial No. 511,924. -Renewed April18, 1925.

To all whom t may concern: f

Beit known that I, WILLIAM S. GREGORY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Cincinnati, inthe'county of I-Iamilton andState of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inAnimalTraps, of which theV followl ing is a specification.

This invention relates to animal-traps adapted for use on what may betermed a humane order, whereinthe animal -is caught and sustained in thetrap without injury or suffering, excepting lthat of being deprived ofits liberty, and the essential features of the invention will be fullyhereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claim thatfollows. l

In the accompanying sheet of drawings- Figure 1 is va perspective viewshowing the device in its preferred form, but omitting `in the view someof the internal partsthat animal has VVbeen caught and heldcaptivetherein. y

Bodily'or generally speaking, the device is in the form of a'rectangular box-like structure, having or -combining a solid woodenbottom 4, vertical side-walls 5, 5,

opposite end-walls l6 and 7, and a top 8.

All said walls and top are preferably made up of screen-wire set insuitable frames, to provide for the desired light 'and ventilation, andthe said side-,walls have at their lcenters the upright, broad stripsorposts 9, 9. The fore end-wall 6 is screened but half-way down from its`upper edge, amiddle, horizontal, stilfening-bar 10 being used to dividethat end-wall 6 so as to leavean opening or entrance 11 beneath 'thesaid bar 10 Vfor the animal to enter, as well Aas to be -later removedor released.

Transverse re-inforcmg strips 12, 13 are provided at the opposite endsof the receptacle formed by the box-like structure,afore said, a drinkinvessel lor cup 15 being supported from t e upper re-inforcing strip13,'a-bout the center thereofyto provide for the moredirect course ofthe' animal in en- Y' tering :the trap, and a suspension-hook 164being'provided a little to one side'the center Yofthe rear portion ofthe top or screened roof 8 of the trap for the attachment of the bait17, (the latter being shown in dotted lines only).

A tilting-platform 18 is longitudinally- 'disposed in the receptacle andis preferably made of 'crimped sheet-metal, and several of the platform,a suitable distance apart,

lfor the engagement of a transverse-bolt Aforming a rock-shaft 20that isjournaled at its opposite ends in the upright side-posts,A

9, 9, of the structure.

The opposite ends of the eye-blocks 19 have elongated bars l21, 21 that'are extended along the bottom of the platform, from end tofend, and areadapted to stilfen same against sagging, and said elongated bars 21, 21are both duly4 riveted in place at 21a to some of the crimped formationsthereof.

The crimping of the metal forming the platform vservesto provide a goodfoot-hold for the animal in walking on the sloped platforminto thetrap'and to inspire its confidence inv advancing upwardly toward the bait andwater when it might otherwise slip'backwardly if theV platform were madeof plane-faced metal or wood` and, besides,l

all the parts thus far described are by far preferably made ofgalvanized or painted `metal that will not corrode or rust, or besubject to gnawing to pieces or in holes by c the captured or imprisonedanimal, in an effort to effect or result in its escape.

The crimps of the platform are preferyablyrof Vishape cross-section, asshown in both views 2 and 3, although they may be ofcurvilinearcorrugations, to provide for the ready and firm planting of the animalsfeet on the platform against slipping backward and for its easyadvancement as be- Vfore noted, and 1n encouraglng 1t in every way togovafter and secure the bait in the Vremote* rearrwupper partof thetrap.

The 'tilting-platform v18 has hinged to its outer or fore end 18a aclosure or lock door 22 that is adapted to fold or turn thereunder whenthe trap is in its normal state, as best Fig. 2. The said lock-doorautomatically drops into filler or closure position in the'entrance 11when the platform lhas been Atilted at its inner end by the weight and'pressre'bf the' foreend of the animal eye-blocks 19 are riveted to thebottom-face c Gil that has fully entered thereon so that the platformcannot then be tilted or lowered at its said outer end to let the nowimprisoned or caught animal retreat or escape through the entrance 11,which latter is the only means of ingress or egress into and from thetrap. Said door 22 gravitates or drops into perpendicular position inthe said ent-rance or door-way 11, which action causes a safe and strongbracing of the outerend of the platform in its upper or raised positionso that it cannot be lowered by the animal while it is in the trap, andthus forms a flockgate or filler-door until it is desired to release theanimal which is effected by simply raising the outer endwof the platformsm'iicient for the'lower edge ot the said lockgate to clear the bottomof the trap and all detents (hereinafter referred sto) thereon, at whichinstant or moment the said lockgate is backed or retreated into :thetrap to fold beneath the 'platform 18 and rest on the bottom 4, as in 2,whereby the said outer end of Athe plattform may be tilted or loweredinto normal pos-ition and thus permitting the withdrawal of the Yanimalback- 'wardly from its place on `the platform through the said entranCebpeni-ng ll.

llVhile caught in the trap, with its VJfore-- epart resting on -theinner half of the plaat- Iifo-ran 18, the animal canordinari-'ly reachup and :get the food and drink supply located in the rear upper part oa.the trap so that it will not suffer for want thereof while awaitingrelease at the lproper lconvenience or pleasure ofthe trapper.

In order to make the bracing or locking position of the closurefdoor 22doubly sure aga-inst rany inward movement or pressure by another ani-maloutside lthat might be prowling about and tryin-g to fgetinto the strapthrough curiosity, hunger, or symn pathy lfor the `already yimprisonedVanimal that might y'loe its mate, I provide :an auxil iary pair ofspaced, parallel lcross ibars or detent-oleafts y28 and 24 a shortdista-nceback of the sill-cleatl25. T-heseiauniliary detentcleatsprevent "the :accidental `or undue swinging in reither direction,inwardly or outwardly, of the Isaid drop-door '22 :away rrom itseffective locking-position, the weight, of vthe -.-.outer part of fthefpl'atform and Vthat of the. rear part Aof the animal instantly andautomatically causing sthe `.lower free :end l.of the pdropfdoor toengage one or the other of said .auxiliary :detent- -oleats, dependingupon the direction and extent fof hinging-fmovement of `:the dropdoor.

,It lwill fbefseen that i-t would take quite adrop -of the ira-isedouter end of the platform --18 -to ylning-the lower end ofthe .drOp door`122 into -fengagement with the second ionel ofthetwo,innericleatspbutfit would .even then ibo suiieient f to fall-w@the animal to escape, las the said-outer end of the platform vwouldstill remain propped up by the still pendent but slightly tilteddropdoor 22, although not exactly perpendicular. Y

As the animal cannot when trapped, reach the drop-door 22 nor thebottommember .4 ot the trap, it would be unnecessary to make them ofmetal to oiset the animal gnawing through them.

Instead of but a single compartment, as shown,v the trap might be madewith a num-ber .of them on `the same principle .and capable of the sameeffect, with the advantage of catching many animals instead of only oneat the .same setting.

A rubber pad or felt Vstrip 2.6 :is placed on` fthe floor of the trap,vat the inner end of the receptacle, to receiye and cushion thenatchet-detent ldevice in general use for ,many

,purposes and aptly dit in connection Vwith t'ihe temporary looking erpropping `,of-the Atilting-platform 18 in 4the entrance-opening 11 orfthe trap v.to prevent gthe :escape Lor nn- .'intended liberation of ftheensnared animal.-

.'Clailm i :In an animal-trap, the .combination of a receptacle having afore opening -or' entrance, a platform -or false bottom pirotallymounted within the receptacle long-.-

f-tn'd-inallyr-fback of :the -said entrance, ;-a drap ldoor nor :gatehinged along its .outer edge to the outer end of the said platfonlnxbut`so as to foldbeneat'h the latter when in norma-l position r`mwaiting:the entrance .of

the animal :to he :caught .for entrappem :and

a dapted vTto `automatica-l-ly swing fbackwardly into said entrance when-th-e vanimal-@has tally ,entered-fand with v`its fore part rest vonAand flower-ing the inner end of said -v platform @and 'simultaneouslyY,raising v.or elerating the .fs-'aid outer Y'end of said iplatfomrnthereby., whereby the looking offsaid ft-ilted platform is instantly.effected on said full entrance fot theanimal,p=suitable 'crossfbraees 1,on `the bottom of 4'the freceptacle I:to .obstruct and rprevent lthe'accidental retireatoff the lower :if-ree endof :saidI dropedoor :awayfrom fplatformlocking positiolll,-means ilfor tempting andsiistainingrthe :animal .fin `fthe trap :and `means fior cushioning LtheA:fall of Athe .inner end .of @the iplatform when `the animal hasentered `the trap, substantially :as therein shown describedmantienen-eener.

